Sub-Saharan Africa
Africa Reference
Introduction
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Setting the Boundaries
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Unity based on similar livelihood systems and shared
colonial experience
World’s fastest-growing region
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More than 760 million people; 48 states and one territory
culturally diverse region
In most countries, 44% of the population is less than 15
years old
Relatively low economic output
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In 2002, Sub-Saharan Africa’s economic output was just 1%
of global output (its population is 11% of world total)
South Africa’s GNP is 36% of the GNP of the entire region
Foreign aid helped improve agriculture, but led to large
debt and corruption
Physical Geography
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Plateaus and Basins
Elevated basins dominate the interior
 High Africa (southern and eastern), low
Africa (west and central)
 Great Escarpment – landform rimming much of
southern Africa, impeding coastal settlement
 Rift Valley – a series of faults that have created
volcanoes, escarpments, elongated lakes, and
valleys
Watersheds
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Major rivers: Congo, Nile, Niger, Zambezi
Soils
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Relatively infertile because they are old
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Most fertile ones located within Rift Valley
East African Rift Valley
Physical Geography
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Climate and Vegetation
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Tropical Forests
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Congo Basin contains the second largest expanse
of tropical rainforest
Savannas
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Warm year-round and rainfall varies regionally
Surround central African rainforest belt
Wet and dry savannas
Deserts
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Sahara, Namib, Kalahari
Horn of Africa -- northeastern corner that includes
Somalia, Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Eritrea
Africa Climate
EAST AFRICA RIFT VALLEY
Environmental Geography
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A plateau continent that is dominated by extensive
uplifted areas that resulted from breakup of Pangaea
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Africa’s Environmental Issues
Desertification – the expansion of desert-like conditions as
a result of human-induced degradation
The Sahel and Desertification
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Sahel – zone of ecological transition between the Sahara
to north and wetter savannas and forests to south
Life is dependent on reliability of rains
 Transhumance – the movement of animals between
wet-season and dry-season pasture
Environmental Geography
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Deforestation
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Few wooded areas remain north of the Equator
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Has resulted in extensive hardship
Loss of biofuels (wood and charcoal for household
energy needs)
Extensive woodlands remain in the southern
tropical savanna
Largest areas of rainforest deforestation are in
southern fringes of Ituri forest, in Sierra Leone,
and Madagascar
Wildlife Conservation
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Wildlife reflects historically low population density
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Wildlife populations currently declining
Deforestation on Madagascar
Population and Settlement
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General
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Population projected to increase by 130% by 2050
44% of population younger than age 15
Population density is similar to that of the U.S.
Life expectancy is short (<50 years), TFR is high
(5+)
Population Trends and Demographic Debates
How many people can Sub-Saharan Africa support?
Family size
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Preference for large families
 Guarantee lineage and status
 Rural life, subsistence livelihoods
make children an asset
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Most states promote family planning
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Population
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Highest: Nigeria
Lowest: Seychelles
Density: Mauritius (highest), Botswana (lowest)
Life expectancy: Mauritius (highest), Swaziland
(lowest)
Fertility Rate: Niger (highest), Seychelles (lowest)
WORLD POPULATION
DOUBLES IN 47 YEARS
Population and Settlement
The Impact of AIDS on Africa
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Southern Africa is ground zero for the AIDS
epidemic
•By 2005, 25 million infected with HIV/AIDS
•17 million dead; 12 million orphans
•AIDS can reduce growth rate in the region;
Botswana has negative RNI
•Meds expensive
•Uganda’s education program is showing success
Population and Settlement
Agricultural Subsistence
Staple crops of millet, sorghum, corn
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Swidden agriculture practiced areas with poorer
tropical soils
 Process of shifting cultivation
 Often fine-tuned to local conditions, but unable to
support high population densities
Plantation Agriculture
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Crops for export are critical to the economies of many
African states
 Coffee, peanuts, cotton, cocoa, rubber
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Cacao harvesting
Population and Settlement
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Herding and Livestock
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Most engaged in this activity are
pastoralists
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Those specialized in grazing animals
Impact of tsetse flies – insects that spread
sleeping sickness to cattle, humans, and
some wildlife
Township in South Africa
LAGOS, NIGERIA
•Urban Life
•Least urbanized region in the developing world
–But, most cities are growing at twice the national growth rates
–At 12 million people, Lagos is largest city
Urban Life (cont.)
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West African Urban Traditions
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Most cities in West Africa combine Islamic,
European, and national elements
Urban Industrial South Africa
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Most major cities in southern Africa have
colonial origins
South Africa is the most urbanized country
in the region
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Apartheid – official policy of racial segregation
that shaped cities and social relations in South
Africa for nearly half century
 Coloured – South African term describing
Culture
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Language Patterns
Complex pattern includes local, African trade, and
European and Asian languages
African Language Groups
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Three groups unique to the region: Niger-Congo, NiloSaharan, Khoisan
Language and Identity
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Ethnic identity in the region has been fluid
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Tribes – consist of a group of families or clans with a
common kinship, language, and definable territory
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Social boundaries have become more stable in recent
years
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Language Patterns (cont.)
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European Languages
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Colonial powers promoted the use of their
languages
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Two European language blocks
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Most of these languages still used for
administration and education
Francophone and Anglophone
Also Afrikaans and Arabic
Culture
Religion
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The Introduction and Spread of Christianity
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Entered northeast Africa around 300 A.D.
 Coptic Christianity in Ethiopia and Eritrea
 Christianity in central Sudan
Dutch brought Calvinism to South Africa in 1600s
Further spread via missionaries
The Introduction and Spread of Islam
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Introduced about 1,000 years ago
Today, orthodox Islam prevails in most of the Sahel
Culture
Religion
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Interaction Between Religious
Traditions
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Religious conflict most acute in
northeastern Africa
Sudan: conflict between Muslims in north
and Non-Muslims in the south
Culture
Globalization and African Culture
•Role of slavery
–Estimated 12 million were taken from Africa and sent to the
Western Hemisphere
–Brazil is second largest African State
–African rhythms found in music around the world
–Congo’s Authenticity Movement
•Introduced by President Mobutu
–Subsidies to musical groups
–Music as Political Conscience
•Singer Fela Kuti was voice of political conscience for
Nigerians struggling for democracy
•Lyrics critical of military government
Geopolitics
Africa is the birthplace of humanity
Indigenous Kingdoms and European Encounters
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Early European Encounters
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Early states: Nubia and Axum
Later kingdoms: Ghana, Mali, Songhai, Kanem-Bornu
Some states participated in the slave trade
Portuguese explorers stretched themselves too thin and
were expelled by Arabs from Oman
The Disease Factor
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Malaria and other tropical diseases made it difficult to
establish colonies
Quinine made colonization possible
Geopolitics
European Colonization
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After the 1880s there was a European scramble for
Africa
Increasing European colonization of the continent
The Berlin Conference
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Berlin Conference – gathering of 13 countries in
1884 in which Sub-Saharan Africa was carved up
and traded around
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No Africans participated
Borders drawn with disregard for African cultures
Geopolitics
Establishment of South Africa
•One of the oldest colonies in the region and the first to gain
its independence
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Dutch settlers (Boers) removed by the
British
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Boer War ended in 1905
1948 Afrikaner’s National Party gained
control of govt.
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Instituted Apartheid: formalized racial
segregation
 Homelands – nominally independent states
for blacks
Geopolitics
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Decolonization and Independence
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Southern Africa’s Independence Battles
Southern Rhodesia – Zimbabwe
Portuguese colonies of Angola and Mozambique
Apartheid’s Demise in South Africa
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Townships – segregated neighborhoods for nonwhites,
located on outskirts of cities
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Opposition in Africa began in the 1960s
 Blacks and coloureds led opposition
 Pressure for change from outside sources
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Free elections held in 1994
 First time Black Africans were permitted to vote
 Nelson Mandela elected president
South African Political
Evolution
Geopolitics
Continuing Political Conflict
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The Tyranny of the Map
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Tribalism: loyalty to an ethnic group rather than to a
state
Refugees
Internally displaced
persons
Conflicts and refugees
As of 2006, more than 3 million Africans were refugees and about 11 million
were internally displaced.
Enduring Political Conflict
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The Tyranny of the Map
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Difficult to establish cohesive states in Africa because
of legacy of Berlin Conference
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Tribalism – loyalty to an ethnic group rather than to a
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state
 Has become bane of African political life
 Has led to many internal conflicts
Refugees – people who flee their country because of
well-founded fear of persecution based on race,
ethnicity, religion, or political orientation
Internally displaced persons – people who have fled
from conflict but remain in their country of origin
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African Refugees and IDPs
Geopolitics
Ethnic Conflicts
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Video
Rwanda: 1994 genocide
between Hutus and Tutsis
Video
Sudan (Darfur): 2003-present: ethnic
conflict between government-backed
Arab nomads and non-Arab black
sedentary farmers; treaty
Congo 1998-2004: forces from Uganda,
Rwanda joined with Congolese rebels;
at peace as of 2007
Sierra Leone
Secessionist Movements
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Nigeria, Somalia, Eritrea
Economic and Social
Development
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Poorest, least-developed region in the world
Low economic base and high population growth
Roots of African Poverty
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Environmental limitations and slavery
Failed Development Policies
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Economic nationalism: inefficient, often corrupt
governments took over large segments of economy
Food Policies
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Crop price too low
Corruption
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Kleptocracy – a state in which corruption is so
institutionalized that politicians and government
bureaucrats siphon off huge percentage of country’s
wealth
Economy
Links to the World Economy
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Most exports to European Union (EU) and then to
U.S.
Low connectivity: few phones and TVs
 Multinational providers now competing for mobilephone customers
Aid Versus Investment
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More aid than investment
Poverty and political instability discourage investment
Debt relief programs important
Economy
Trade blocks: Southern African Development Community (SADC),
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS),
Economic Community of Central African States (CEEAC)
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South Africa
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Well-developed, well-balanced industrial
economy
Oil and Mineral Producers
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Substantial oil and mineral reserves
The Leaders of ECOWAS
Nigeria has largest reserves
Social Development
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Region’s Poorest
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Located in the Sahel, the Horn, and the southeast
Measuring Social Development
Overall low levels of social development, but rates of
child survival have increased since 1980
Life Expectancy
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World’s lowest rates: regional average of 51 years
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Caused by extreme poverty
Health Issues
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Scarcity of doctors and persistence of diseases
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